Refrigerator



w A H S L E B E Q REFRIGERATOR Filed May 2l, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 li l INVENTOR. (Zar/eo* if @ela/a,

ATTORNEYJ Feb M. C; F BELSHAW I 2,89,39

REFRIGERATOR Filed May 2l, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. (ia/Je.; JT .6e/M2M,

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 6, 1940 REFRIGERATOR Charles F. Belshaw, Greenville, Mich. Application May 21, 1938, Serial No. 209,203

8 Claims.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved type of household refrigerator wherein desired cooling of air within the refrigerating chamber is obtained by circulating that air in contact with a continuously owing sheet or lm of cold water, whereby a desirable high humidity of the air in the refrigerating chamber may be maintained to avoid undesirable drying out of the articles to be refrigerated and whereby the transfer of undesirable odors between various articles within the refrigerating chamber will be avoided.

The desired low temperature of the necessary water may be obtained either by deposit of water ice within the main water supply chamber or by the maintenance therein of any other suitable basic refrigerant or mechanical refrigerating unit.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention:

Fig. 1 is a medial vertical section of one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 a vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. 1 in a plane at right angles to the plane of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 a section similar to Fig 1 of another embodiment;

Fig. 4 a vertical section of Fig. 3 at right angles to the plane of Fig.'3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section of the casing shown in Figs. 3 and 4;

Fig. 6 a vertical section of another modication;

Fig. l a vertical section at right angles to the plane of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 a vertical section of another modification showing an adaptation of my invention to an existing refrigerator of the self-contained mechanical refrigerating type;

Fig. 9 a vertical section of another modication of my invention applied to an existing refrigerator of the mechanical refrigerating type; and k Fig. 10 a fragmentary sectional detail of the outlets from the supplemental water reservoir.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I0 indicates the main shell of a refrigerator, the walls of which are suitably heat insulated in accordance with well known practice, and provided with a single access door II affording access to the refrigeration chamber I2, in the upper part of shell I0 and to the cold water supply reservoir I3 in the lower part of the shell. Leading from the bottom of reservoir I3 is a drainage conduit I4 provided with a trap I5 of conventional form.

The upper end of conduit I4 is provided with a tting I6 adapted to receive a removable stand pipe I7, the upper end of which is perforated for a portion of its length as indicated at I8.

Mounted within the shell I0 is a pump unit I9 I5 comprising a pump adapted to be submerged in the water contained in reservoir I3, and a small electric motor 2I arranged above the highest possible level of water in reservoir I3 as defined by the stand pipe II. Pump 20 convenl0 iently, although not necessarily, may be of the centrifugal type and is preferably placed below, but somewhat nearer the lower perforations I8 than the bottom of reservoir I3.

Leading from pump 20 is a conduit 22 which 15 discharges into a supplemental water reservoir 23 arranged in the upper part of the refrigerating chamber I2 and preferably removably mounted therein by means of the fastening means 26.

The bottom 25 of reservoir 23 is inclined rear- 20 wardly and downwardly and, near its lower edge, is perforated with a. series of perforations 26.

Mounted in the supplemental reservoir 23 is a oat 27 carried by a pivoted arm 28 which carries a mercury switch 29 the terminals of which are connected in the electrical circuit 30 which is connected to the motor 2I and to terminals 3| and 32 accessible from the exterior of the shell II).

Arranged below perforations 26 in position to Y receive the drip therefrom, is a depending curtain 30 35 over which the drippage from reservoir 23 may ow downwardly to reservoir I3. The curtain 35 may be of any suitable form to insure the formation of a downwardly flowing film of cold water, as for instance, a corrugated metal 85 sheet, or a fabric curtain either textile or ne metal screen. The curtain 35 hangs closely adjacent, but preferably out of contact with the adjacent rear inner wall of shell I0 and is anked by a vertical baille 36 extending between the @0 inner side walls of shell I0 and from a point slightly below the bottom 25 of reservoir 23 to a point below the lowest food shelf 31 and the upper end of stand pipe I 1.

In operation a refrigerated supply of water is 65 behind said baille in contact with the downwardly 55 The downward ow of a film of reshelves 3i, odors emanating from the articles within the refrigerating chamber will be absorbed by the high humidity refrigerated air and will be removed by absorption by the downwardly owing nlm of water and become entrapped in the major water supply. condensate from the upwardly iowing air accumulating on the downwardly and rearwardly inclined bottom of the supplemental reservoir 23 will flow downwardly on said bottom and unite with the drippage emanating from the perforations 26.

Where water ice is used as the primary refrigerant, a constant refreshment and dilution of contamination of the primary water supply will be afforded by the melting of the ice. In case other refrigerating means is used, occasional refreshment of the primary water supply by the addition of fresh water will be desirable.

The perforation of a portion of the upper length of stand pipe I'I is desirable in order to prevent a too rapid run out of excess Water from reservoir I3 at the time of introduction of the water ice refrigerant. Ready removability of the stand pipe I1 contributes to the convenience of occasional cleansing of the primary reservoir i3.

The rate of flow of water through perforations 26, with refrigerated water at 'any given temperature, will determine the minimum air ternperature attainable in the refrigeration chamber and, if desired, the effective area of these perforations may be made adjustable by means of a mating perforated damper diaphragm 26.1: as illustrated in Fig. 10.

In the forms shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the lower shelves 31 are preferably of the cantilever type with no cross bar support for the forward edges of the shelves, as indicated in the drawings, in order to provide unobstructed access for the introduction of supplies of water ice.

In the form shown in Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive, the upper portion of the shell I is provided with two access doors II', II' and the curtain 35 is arranged medially of the refrigeration chamber to lie at right angles to the rear inner wall of the shell. The supplemental water reservoir 23 is, therefore, provided with a bottom 25' which inclines from each side downwardly toward the middle and two series of perforations 26' are provided, one at each side of the curtain so that two films of water`are formed, one on each side of the curtain. Of course, if the curtain is made of ne wire mesh or a. fabric, a single series of water supply perforations 26' may sufiice. In this form of the invention, each side face of the curtain is anked by a baie 36'. In this form also, I have shown the mercury switch 29 located outside of the reservoir 23 in order to avoid possible submergence thereof. Otherwise the structure is the same as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In this construction, by differentially regulating the flow of water to the opposite faces of curtain 35', different temperatures may be maintained in the two parts of the refrigerating chamber.

In Figs. 6 and '7, the primary reservoir I3 is formed in a base shell I0' and the refrigeration chamber is formed in a bottomless shell I0" having a fore and aft dimension somewhat less than the fore and aft dimension of the shell I0' so that access to the interior of reservoir I3 may be had through an opening 40 without the necessity of agresse@ opening the door i. Opening fi@ is normally closed by a horizontally sliding door di. In this form the pump unit may be so mounted, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, that the motor 2i is er.- posed on the outside of the structure. In Figs. 6 and 7 a diderent type of trap i5' is shown in the outlet conduit.

In Fig. 8 the main shell i@ is of a common type found in commercial self-contained mechanical refrigerators wherein there is a compartment 5@ below the refrigerating chamber in which the mechanical refrigerating unit is placed.

In order to utilize such a shell for my invention, I remove the mechanical refrigerating element and substitute therefor a main reservoir structure I3 which will be normally concealed by the existing door 5i and which is supported on rollers or casters 62 so that the structure may be rolled out for servicing. AIn this construction the pump unit i9 -is mounted in the structure 03B. and the discharge conduit 22 of the pump is connected by a flexible tube 52 to a conduit 22 leading to the supplemental water reservoir 23, and a drip trough 53 is arranged in the lower part of the refrigerating chamber to receive the Ilow from curtain 35 and deliver the same through conduit 54 connected by a flexible tube 55 connected to a conduit 56 carried by the structure I3R and delivering into the interior thereof. Otherwise the construction is similar to that shown in Fig. l or may be similar to that shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 9 the main reservoir I3R is placed in the basement of. a building or other remote spot accessible for servicing with ice, and conduits `22 and 54 are led to the parts 22' and 56.

I claim as my invention:

l. A refrigerator unit comprising, a main heat insulated shell providing the refrigerating chamber, a main reservoir within which may be maintained a supply of water and means for refrigerating the same, a pumping unit arranged to deliver refrigerated water from said reservoir to a supplemental reservoir in the upper part of the refrigerating chamber, means arranged in the refrigerating chamber for defining a downwardly iiowing water film in saidrefrigerating chamber with its upper part arranged in position to receive the refrigerated Water from said supplemental reservoir and its lower part in position to deliver water iiowing therefrom to the main reservoir, and control means arranged in conjunction with said supplemental reservoir to automatically control the operation of the pump unit to maintain a substantially uniform supply i of refrigerated water in said supplemental reservoir.

`.2. A refrigerator unit comprising, a heat insulated sahell having a. door-closed opening through the upper part of one vertical wall and the lower part of the shell below said' opening forming a water tight ice-receiving reservoir, outflow means serving to maintain a 'normal Water level therein, a water receiving vertically extending curtain arranged adjacent the rear interior wall of the refrigerating chamber, a baflle flanking the forward face of said curtain, a pumping unit having a pump arranged in the main reservoir below the normal water level, and a discharge conduit leading from said pump to the upper part of the curtain.

3. A refrigerator unit comprising, a heat insulated shell having a 4door-closed opening through the upper part of one vertical wall and.

the lower part of the shell below said opening forming a water tight' ice-receiving reservoir, outow means serving to maintain a normal water level therein, a vertically extending water curtain arranged between the side walls of the refrigerating chamber, a pair of bales fianging the two sides of said curtain, a pumping unit arranged in the main reservoir below the normal water level, and a discharge conduit leading from said pump to the upper part of the curtain.

4. A refrigerator unit comprising, a heat insulated shell having a water tight reservoir formed in its lower part, outow means serving to maintain a normal water level therein, a vertically extending water curtain arranged lbetween the side walls of the refrigerating chamber, a pair of bailles flanking the two sides of said curtain, a pumping unit arranged in the main reservoir below the normal water level, a supplemental reservoir arranged in the upper part of the refrigerating chamber and provided with an outflow discharging onto the upper part of said curtain, control means for the pump unit mounted in said supplemental reservoir to maintain a substantially constant water level, and a discharge conduit leading from said pump to the supplemental reservoir.

5. A refrigerator unit comprising, a heat insulated shell, the lower part of which forms a water tight reservoir having one horizontal dimension exceeding the corresponding horizontal dimension of the upper part, a movable closure adapted to normally close the projecting area of the upper end of the water reservoir, means for maintaining normal water level in said reservoir, a vertically extending curtain arranged in the upper part of said shell, a bafe flanking said curtain, a pumping unit having a pump arranged in the primary reservoir. below the normal water level, and a conduit leading from said pump to the upper part of said curtain.

6. A refrigerator unit comprising, a heat insulated shell, the lower part of which forms a water tight reservoir having one horizontal dimension exceeding the corresponding horizontal dimension of the upper part, a movable closure adapted to normally close the projecting area of the upper end of the water reservoir, means for maintaining normal water level in said reservoir,

a. vertically extending curtain arranged in the upper part of said shell, a baffle flanking said curtain, a pumping unit having a pump arranged in the primary reservoir below the normal water level, a supplemental reservoir'arranged in the upper part of the refrigerating chamber and provided with a discharge means leading to the upper part of said curtain, a conduit leading from the pump to the supplemental reservoir, and a control means arranged in said reservoir andl connected with said pump unit to automatically maintain a substantially uniform water level in the supplemental reservoir.

'1. A refrigerator unit comprising, a heat insulated main Ibody forming an elevated refrigeration chamber, a heat insulated main water reservoir movably mounted inthe structure below the refrigeration chamber, means for maintaining a normal water level in said reservoir, a pumping unit having a pump arranged in said main reservoir below the normal water level, a vertically extending curtain arranged in the refrigeration chamber, a baille anking said curtain, a conduit leading from the lower edge of said curtain to the main reservoir, and a conduit leading from the pump to the upper part of said curtain.

8. A refrigerator unit,comprising, a heat insulated main body forming an elevated refrigeration chamber, a heat insulated main water reservoir movably mounted in the structure below the refrigeration chamber, means for maintaining a normal water level in said reservoir, a pumping unit having a pump arranged in said main reservoir below the normal water level, a vertically extending curtain arranged in the refrigeration chamber, a baflle anking said curtain, a conduit leading from the lower edge of said curtain to the main reservoir, a supplemental reservoir arranged in the upper part of the refrigeration chamber and formed to deliver water to the upper part of said curtain, a conduit leading from said pump to said supplemental reservoir, and control means in the supplemental reservoir and associated with the pumpI unit to automatically maintain a normal water level in the supplemental reservoir.

CHARLES F. BELSHAW. 

